It looks like Bristol's local DH spot, Still Woods, is going to be tunred into a "working wood" which would mean the end of any downhill riding there. The land is owned by Bristol University, who have been happy to let the woods be used for riding for over five years. But now it seems to be over. Notices went up last week informing of the closure and stating specifically that cycling is now prohibited and that the DH tracks and the dirt jumps are going to be taken out.

If this does go ahead, it'll be a major disaster for the Bristol riding scene as Still is one of very few local DH spots, it's massively popular, and it's an area where the riders have built some seriously challenging trails while still keeping it relatively safe and suitable for all abilities.

If you want to get involved with the effort to save it there's a Facebook group here where we'll be posting regular updates and hopefully formulating a plan of action.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=164652427903

Or drop me an email and I'll keep you updated.

joined!
we need to keep riding venues open 🙂

A neat little video that shows why it's worth fighting for:

Bloody shame.
I wanted to pay a visit to still next year.
Fingers crossed I still will. Keep us posted!

nightmare.

Cant you find some Rare plants in the area
Or put some in 💡

Shame – riding looks entertaining.

Is there a group of riders fighting this or is it just a few people – i.e. have you clubbed together to show how many people enjoy these woods?

If so, have you thought about somehow raising some money – perhaps subs / or riding permits – and paying this to the Uni so you can continue using the woods. The FC have trails in their working woods so can't see (especially as I've not seen these first hand) why with a bit of financial support why the uni wouldn't consider letting bikers continue in the woods.

There must be areas that they could harvest and leave part or a majority of the trails in place. Maybe showing the Uni how they could make money from MTBing might help them to leave a good deal of it in there.

Bushwacked, that sounds like a good way forward. This only came to light on Friday but I'll be trying to get in touch with the Uni today and find out what the rationale was and who they consulted. There are about 300 members on the Facebook group already so it's a start.

A couple of years ago the riders were managing the site pretty well, there was a committee which liaiised with the Uni (some of whom have got back in touch) and despite it being a bit chavtastic at times the riders looked after the place. Dodgy stuff was taken down, litter was picked up, etc. Some key people moved on and now it seems the place is getting neglected again, but it's still well loved by the local kidderz.
The site isn't going to be completely closed as there are rights of way running across it, and I expect something cheeky would spring up again soon.

The Uni are actually in the process of developing a lot of the land they own in that area, to the extent that it's going to significantly increase the population of the village – surely it makes sense to give the kids there something to do.

Will join the fb group when I get home – part of the issue must be the ridiculous amount of litter that has built up around the dirt jumps at the bottom of the hill, I can't believe that a small wood like that on a steep hill is financially viable to "work"?

Jim, they were talking about doing some small scale harvesting over there a couple of years ago, but we were told it wouldn't affect the DH runs. It's actually quite a sizeable area if you include the stuff on the far side of the tracks, not much smaller than 50 Acre Wood. I don't know enough about forestry to say whether it would be worth using it for this or not, but I'd agree that it doesn't seem ideal.

How much money do you think a wood of that size would make (profit rather than turnover)?

Dunno but it's small, I reckon about 30-40 acres.

Incidentally, does anyone know anything about the planning process for changing the use of woodland to forestry? It seems to have happened without any consultation and I'd be interested to know if ticked all the boxes from a legal perspective.

Well I'll be, is that what Still Wood looks like, looks fun.

Good luck in fighting the Uni.

Apparently they have started delivering diggers to the site today. I might make use of my current employment status to go and chain myself to a tree. 🙁

Are you unemployed ATM, MrA?

I'm actually down that way in a few weeks and might check it out. Is it easy to find?

Mikey….doubt there'll be much to see,let alone ride!

clubber – Member

Are you unemployed ATM, MrA?

I thought you were part of a hard hitting high flying legal team nowadays MrA?

Doh! Teach me to read the whole thread before I post, lol.

As of last week I'm gainfully unemployed. Not ideal in the current economic climate, but it does mean I have more time to faff about internet campaigns. 🙂

By way of a quick update, the Uni people have closed it because of concerns over H&S issues and the state the site was getting into. I think they're a bit taken aback by how many people have come forward since the closure, but they are adamant that they don't want the current way the site is being used to continue. They have said thaough that if we can forward with a formal proposal to take responsibility for running and insuring the site, then riding there could continue – but it would all have to be official, legally binding, etc.

MrA – There has been a lot of work up my way to work with the council to put in place a management plan on how to maintain biking on a SSSI. I can put you in touch with some guys to discuss the framework used which convinced the council to allow the trails and a certain about of trailbuilding to continue.

Thanks Bushwacked, that would be ace. My email's in my profile. 🙂

If there's anyone out there who has done the whole form a club, lease the land, get insurance thing, I'd be interested to hear from you.

I'll drop them an email and get them to contact you if they can.

agh! rode Still Woods last summer, it was a cracking spot, best of luck if there's anything I can do to help!!

to the extent that it's going to significantly increase the population of the village – surely it makes sense to give the kids there something to do.

Unfortunatly, this isn't the way that LA operates. A few years ago the local kids organised themselves, did loads of stuff in order to riase funds for a few skate park ramps. They got the money together and the village association objected, so they got turned down. The consistent number 1 complaint in the village association questionnaire is 'teenagers hanging around street corners looking menacing'.

They get off their own asses to do something constructive, and get battened down, becuase it 'would cuase a nuiscence' – where the site already has footie pitches, a bowls green and a playground. Dumbasses.

Aargh. I think a similar fate befell the Hanham skatepark, which would have been ace for the kids round there. Before you know it there were people coming out of the woodwork to equate skateboarding with drug dealing, complain about the noise their wheels make (I take it everyone in Hanham drives a hovercar) and start a thrown together "Friends of" association to point out the fantastic amenities of the existing park – including a "dog walking circle" (which makes me think of the "Park" cartoon in Modern Toss).

Still, it doesn't look like we have much choice. Any ideas on how to win the NIMBYs over?

LOL @ dog walking circle – funniest idea ever!!!

Sorry to hear your news mr_a…

Sorry to hear about Still too – out of interest, have you got the Bristol Uni mtb lot on board yet – they should at least have a little bit of leverage, especially if you get the AU involved.

Yep, the Uni club are on board. There are lots of offers of help coming in, which is pretty cool. And it's better entertainment than watching Jeremy Kyle.

And it's better entertainment than watching Jeremy Kyle.

MrA you have seen Jeremy Kyle. Oh you are unemployed like me but I manage to avoid it.

Forgot to say I really enjoyed the trail building. I'd come along more often if I didn't have young ones to look after.

hopster – you too! What happened to the M job?

Cheers Hopster, that was a good day. And an oasis of calm in a slightly insane weekend!

So Clubber, when's our bike business setting up? I've got £2.50 that I can invest!

Well at this rate, there may be enough people to invest £2.50 each to make it a goer…

Any ideas on how to win the NIMBYs over?

Well, like our friend on Saturday evening, a bullet in the face is probably the only way.

Sorry to hear of the tempory cessation in gainful employment.

The land is owned by Bristol University, who have been happy to let the woods be used for riding for over five years

This is not good as there has been riding in there for many years now. I remember riding there in the early 90's. No jumps then, be we used to ride down the central gulley. That was a knarly route back then and i think we referred to it as Berkley gulley?

Anyway, shout on here if there is anything else we can do.

And i reckon clubber is on the right line, unless the uni club have had a bust up with the AU then they should carry some clout.

Well at this rate, there may be enough people to invest £2.50 each to make it a goer…

I'll invest a fiver and out bid MrA.

Dragon's Den for bikes!

As above though, we've been riding at Still for years – as the uni club too – from at least as far back as '94 so there's a well established use of the area for mtbing.

Well, like our friend on Saturday evening, a bullet in the face is probably the only way.

Wah gwan?

Kingtut, we had a run in with horsey people riding the trail in 50 Acre Wood. When I pointed out to her that she was riding the wrong (or "opposite-to-marked" if you're an anarchist type) way round an MTB trail, and the bottom half of said trail was blocked by forestry work, she got a bit arsey and claimed that she didn;t need to pay any attention to that sort of thing because she live there. My response of "Here? In the woods?" didn't go down too well.

Normally I feel like a dick telling people to get off the mountain bike trails, but she was properly clueless – not to mention leading a young girl around on a horse that was only just broken in.

Edit: sorry, thought that said Saturday morning. Saturday evening, erm, we were accoste by a bloke who seemd to have confused an admittedly well-attended night ride with the sort of gathering attended by young people with glow sticks, white gloves, whistles and jars of Vicks. 🙂